Reverse plating mechanism for knitting machines



Oct. 19, 1937. A. E. VAUGHAN, JR, ET AL 2,096,216

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 1, 1928 8 Shee'ts-Shet 1 FIG: I

j isyndgizzzggga WW W Oct. 19, 1937. A. E. VAUGHAN, JR. ET AL 2,096,216

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 1, 1928 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 L... 55 5L Z9 52 j-mllllw) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIMHIIW INVENTORS:

Charles Hflz'e'uer,

*"i ATTORNEYS Oct. 19, 1937.

A. E. VAUGHAN, JR., ET AL REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 1, 1928 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 0a. 19, 1937. A. E. VAUGHAN, JR. m AL 2,096,216

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 1, 1928 8 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 INVENTORS: flndww E. Jig By Charles wzzei;

W ATTORNEYE:

Oct. 19, 1937. A. E. VAUGHAN, JR.. ET AL REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 1, 1928 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS: flmirew E. I/aayZmJIw Charles HDiene-I;

ATTORNE may? WITNESSES Oct. 19, 1937. A. E. VAUGHAN, JR.. ET AL 2,096,216

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 1, 1928 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 JYZ IGLZQIZ ft 2/ A30 fit FIGlX/X. 4%

31am 42 WITNESSES m d l gav rgas C I I1 1211 (1* if 5 N 425 (71117768 iif z'ener,

Oct. 19, 1937. A. E. VAUGHAN, JR. ET AL 2,096,216

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 1, 1928 a Sheets-Sheet 8 F I 6.25m.

Wmmummmmnmmm nm u u: (HHHWHMHHHHHHHHHHEZ nrmngunnn.mannnnuuuuuuuunnnnaa INVENTORS:

WITNESSES flIZdreH/EI/ZK imJrL Charles Diana,

Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM For. KNITTING MACHINES ration of Delaware Application March 1, 1928, Serial No. 258,180

9- Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism useful in connection with knitting machines in producing ornamental pattern effects in the fabric through occasional reversal of two contrastingly colored or physically differentiated yarns which are normally fed simultaneously to the needles of the machine in definite plating relation, so that the yarn normally relegated tothe rear of the fabric is at times brought to the front for the purpose indicated. 7

Our invention is directed toward enabling the reversals of the plating yarns to be effected with absolute precision at each needle to the avoidance of overlap, as between neighboring wales, in the fabric produced by the machine;'as well. as to enable such reversals to be selectively controlled at each needle in predetennining'figurative pattern effects of any desired kind or scope.

The foregoing desiderata we secure with the 20 aid of associate instrumentalities' to individually displace knitting needles laterally with respect to others in the series just previous to drawing of the fabric loops with attendant reversal in their hooks, of the two yarns normally fed simulta neously in definite plating relation as aforesaid; and through provision of automatically operative means to select between the displacing instrumentalities in accordance with predetermined pattern designs. I 30 As will appear from the detailed description which follows, the reverse plating mechanism of our invention lends itself readily to embodiment into the form of an attachment capableof application to standard types of knitting machines,

more particularly circular hosiery knitters, without requiring extensive alterations or interfering with their normal cycle of functions in producing stockings or other knitted wares.

In the drawings Fig. I is a plan view of a typical seamless hosiery knitting machine equipped with the reverse plating mechanism of our invention. Fig. II is an elevation of the machine viewed from the left of Fig. I.

Fig. IIa is a detail sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows IIa-IIa in Fig. I.-

Fig. III is a fragmentary plan view of the knitting machine and the reverse plating mechanism on a larger scale than in the preceding illustrations.

Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig. III showing the parts of reverse plating mechanism in inactive position.

Figs. V and VI are fragmentary plan views on a still larger scale with portions broken away and in section.

Fig. VII is a longitudinal sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows VIIVII in Fig. III.

Figs. VIII and IX are transverse detail sections taken as indicated respectively by the arrows VIIIVI II and IX-IX in Fig. VII. 5

FigwX shows in perspective a set of jacks by which the pattern of the reverse plated fabric produced by the machine is in part determined.

Fig. XI is a-detail view taken as indicated by the arrows XIX[ in Fig. III.

Fig. XII is .a perspective view showing one of the thrust cams embodied in the reverse plating mechanism.

Fig. XIII is a detail sectional view in accordance with the arrows XIII-XIII in Fig. I.

Fig. XIV is a detail section taken as indicated by the arrows XIVXIV in Fig. III.

Fig. XV is a. detail section viewed in the direction of the arrows XVXV in Fig. XIV.

Fig. XVI is a plan view of a knitting needle, a sinker and associated push and pulliinstrumentalities whereby the needle is manipulated in determining reverse plating thereon.

Fig. XVII is a perspective view of the assemblage shown in Fig. XVI. 25

Figs. XVIII and XIX are perspective views respectively of the push and pull instrumentallties aforesaid.

Fig. 1G; is a diagrammatic illustration showing, in linear development, the relation of certain parts of the reverse plating mechanism to the knitting cams, the latch guard ring and the yarn feeds.

Fig. IQCI depicts atypical fabric design such as may be produced with the reverse plating mechanism of our invention; and

Fig. XXII shows the manner in which the pattern jacks of Fig. X are arranged in the reverse plating mechanism to produce the patterned fabric of Fig. XXI.

As herein illustrated, the reverse plating mechanism of our invention embodies an annular head 25 which surrounds the sinker dial 26 and its cap ring 21 at the top of the needle cylinder 28 of the machine. The sinker dial 26 is made fast to the needle cylinder in the usual way so as to rotate and oscillate therewith in fashioning the heel and toepockets of stockings. The cap ring 21 on the other hand is held stationary, except for capacity to circumferentially shift slightly as required during oscillatory knitting, through engagement of adjustable screw stops 29 (Figs. I and II) in upstanding lugs 30 with the arm 3| of the latch guard ring 32,- said arm being pivoted at 33, for upward swinging, to a post 34 rising from the bed 55 plate 35 of the machine. From Figs. VII and XIV, it will be observed that the head 23 comprises two component parts or sections 33, 31 whereof the lower one 331s circumferentially flanged inwardly as at 330. and secured to the sinker dial 28 by means of screws 33 extending through the flange. The upper head section 31 has a depending perimetric flange 31arwhich laps the periphery of the lower section 33 and is re-' strained against lifting by a number of removable angle clips 39 with horizontal legs reaching-under said lower section, see Fig.'XIV. The cap ring 21v for the sinker dial is in turn held from displacement vertically by clips 33 detachablysecured to the upper head section 31, see Figs. HI

and XIV. After customary practice, the sinker dial 26 is radially grooved in its upper face to guide the sinkers S for reciprocation horizontally with respect tothe needles N in the cylinder 23, the upturned butts of said sinkers running in the actuating cam groove 3| in the cap ring 21 in a manner well understood. Lying at one side of the sinker S in each groove of the sinker dial are push and pull instrumentalities 32, 33see Figs. V, VI, XIV and XVII which operate upon the corresponding needle N as later on explained. As

- shown in Figs. V, VI, XVI and XVIII, the push instrumentality 42 is uniform in thickness throughout and disposed in a direct line with the needle N. Its horizontal shank 32a is of greater depth than that of the sinker; and the sinker groove of the dial 26 is counterrecessed as at 43 in Fig. XV to accommodate it. At the outer end, the push instrumentality 32 has a depending butt 4212; while its inner end is curved downward as at 42c to engage the shank of the needle N at a level somewhat below the top of the needle cylinder 23, see Figs. VII and XIV. and thus be out of, reach of the latch of the needle when the latter descends to draw fabric loops. The horizontal shank 33a of the pull instrumentality 33 (Fig. XVII) is of the same vertical depth as that of the sinker S, and at the outer end has an upstanding butt 43b. Its inner end is curved downwardly as at 430 (like the instrumentality 32), and terminates in a hook "d which engages the needle N within a circumferential recess 33 of the cylinder. To obviate necessity for excessively large cuts to accommodate the assemblage in each groove of the sinker dial 23, the pull instrumentality 33 is reduced in thickness through a portion of its length as at 33c (Fig. xix) to provide room for the sinker S, the arrangement being clearly shown in Figs. XVI and XVII.

As shown in Figs. V, VI, VII and my the upstanding butts 33b of the pull instrumentalities 43 project into a raceway 33 provided for them in the upper part 31 of the head 23, said raceway being concentric with the axis of the needle cylinder 23. A portion of the inner wall of this-raceway 33 is cut away as at 31 in Figs. V and VI and supplanted by complemental segmental earns 43,

33 which are respectively pivoted at their remote ends to swing about fulcrum screws ill, ii while their contiguous ends inter-engage as at, 32 over the stitch cam 53 (Fig. xx) which is active during rotary knitting: or in other words, in a line A-A slightly in advance of a line B-B through the stitch'point in the illustration last referred to. With the segmental cam 39 are associated a pair of overlying supplemental segments 53, 35 capable of swinging independently of it and of each other on thescrew 5i. As shown in Figs. V, VI and XI, these supplemental cam segments SI, 33 are beveled at their free ends as at 34a, 53a, and overlap, to diflerent extents, the juncture between the 4 main earns 33, 33. Projecting vertically from the upper supplemental cam segment 34 through a slot 33 in'the top of the head 23 is a stud 31 which is engaged by a leaf spring 33. Similarly,the supplemental cam segment 33 carries a stud 33 which projects up through a clearance aperture 33 in ments 34, 33 in contact with astopiug 33 on the segmental cam 33. With the several parts just described inthe positions of Figs. III, V and VI, it will be apparent that as the needle cylinder 23 is rotated inthe direction of the arrows, that the pull instrumentalities 33 will be drawn outwardly by the segmental cams 33-43 as they approach the yarn feeding station an stitch point of the needle actuating cams. i

Referring still to Figs. III-VII it will be observed that the depending butts 32b of the push instrumentalities 32 are subject to engagement by pattern jacks 63 whereof there is a double series-one above the other-disposed in aligned radial upper and lower grooves .33 in the bottom,

part 33 of the head 23. These pattern jacks 33 have rearward projections 33a. at different levels as shown in Fig. x, so that, by judicious selecthe pattern jacks 33 we provide a system of thrust cams 31 ,(Fig. XII) in the form of elongated plates arranged at levels corresponding to the diii'erent projections 33a on said jacks and having centrallyof their inner ends rounded cam protuberances 31a to engage such DIOJGC'.

tions. As shown, the thrust cam plates 31 are dividedinto two groupsat diflerent elevations vertically (Figs. VII, XI) to correspond to the two sets of pattern jacks 33, andare slidingly supported in an angularly disposed bracket 33 which is bolted to the side of the head 25 and centered on a radial line A, A intersecting the line A-A in Fig. xx The 'cam plates 31 are subject to leaf springs 33 enga ing staggeringlyarranged studs 13 upstanding and depending from the components of the two cam plate groups, and having their ends anchored in opposite sides of the bracket 33. In order to permit of independent actuatiomthe cam plates 31 are variously cut out centrally as at 1| to clear the studs of their contiguous fellows in a manher which will be obvious from inspection of Figs. III and VII. Associated with each of the sliding cam plates 31 at the inner end are a pair of toggle pieces 12 (Figs. V, VI) which, as said cam plates are moved inwardly, act as gap projections 611) on the contiguous ends of the- Beyond the region of the twocam plates 31. groups of plunger rods 13, the bracket 33 has ailixedto it by screws 13 (Fig. 111, VII) a housing 11 accommodating corresponding sets of vertically-slidable auxiliary jacks 13, 13 which have edge notches 33 to cooperate with terminal cam the side of the bracket 94 is coupled with the lever shoes 8I at the outer ends of said plunger rods. Individual springs 82 bearing on horizontal butts 18a projecting rearward'from the upper set of auxiliary iacks I8, oppose operating levers 83 which engage said butts from beneath. As shown in Fig. I the operating levers 83 are fulcrumed at their outer ends to a fixed bar 84 suitably secured to the machine frame. A similar group of operating levers 85 is provided to effect actuation of the lower set of auxiliary jacks I9 through the medium of rockers 86 with pivotal support at 81 on the bracket housing I1 (Fig.

VIII) and engaged by springs 88. The operating levers 85 are likewise afforded fulcrum support at their outer ends by another bar 89 also suitably made fast to the knitting machine frame.

To govern the operating levers 83, 85 just described we provide a control mechanism which is comprehensivelydesignated at 90 in Figs. I, II and XIII, and shown as comprising a system of lifting levers 9| fulcrumed at their outer ends upon a common axis 92 which is jointly supported between a supplemental bracket 93 and an extension bracket 94 bolted to the machine frame. The levers 9I underlie the operating levers 83, 85, and at their outer ends are coupled with said operating levers through universal motion connections 95. It will be observed that the levers 83, 85 are graduated as to length, this being also true of the lifting levers 9| so that movement to the same extent is imparted through the thrust cam plates 61 and the pattern jacks 65, to the push instrumeritalities 42 by the parts which are about to be described. Intermediate their ends the levers 9I are equipped with rollers 96 adapted to overtravel a corresponding series of pattern chains 91 trained upon a sprocket drum 98 affixed to a shaft 99 which is journalled in suitable bearings of the brackets 93, 94. Amongst the links of the sprocket chains are special cam links 97a capable of interchange and arrangement in accordance with the pattern desired in the fabric produced by the machine. When the reverse plating mechanism is in operation, the sprocket wheel shaft 99 is intermittently rotated as a consequence of the picking of a ratchet wheel I00 (Figs. I and 11a) thereon by a pawl IOI receiving vibratory motion by virtue of eccentric pivoting on a disk I02 at the end of a shaft I03 with hearing in the bracket 94. The shaft I03 is rotated through a pinion I04 in mesh with one of the gears I05 embodied in the driving mecha nism of the machine (see Fig. 11)

For greater diversification of pattern effects, We employ a master sprocket chain I06 to control pawling of the shaft 99 which carries the sprocket drum 98. This master chain I06 is trained about a sprocket wheel I01, which, together with an attached ratchet wheel I08, (Fig. 11) is free upon the shaft 99. The ratchet wheel I08 is picked by a pawl I09 disposed alongside and pivoted on the same eccentric stud with the pawl IOI so as to be vibrated in unison with the latter. A spring detent IIO (Fig. II) prevents excess movement or overthrow of the ratchet wheel I08. The master chain I06 has special cam links I06a to under-travel a roller III on an arm II2 that is fulcrumed on the end of. the axis 92 serving the lifting levers 9|. A link II3 connects the arm I I2 with one end of a centrally pivoted rock lever II4 whereof the opposite end rests on the top edge of a horizontal lever I I5 with fulcrum bearing at II6 withinthe machine frame, see Fig. 11. A vertically-reciprocable slide II'I (Figs. I and 11a) with bearing in a guideway H8 at II5 by means of a link H9 and has a lateral projection I20 to under-reach the pawl IOI. A coiled tension spring I2I tends to yieldingly urge the slide II'I upward with the rock lever H4 bearing on the lever II5. With this arrangement it will be apparent that lifting of the 'arm II2 through engagement of the roller Hi there on by one of the cam links of the master sprocket chain I06 is attended by depression of the slide Ill and release of the pawl IM to activity in stepping about the ratchet wheel I00 on the shaft 99 carrying the several pattern sprocket chains 91.

The function of controlling the mechanism 90 is relegated to the timing mechanism of. the ma-- chine, the intermittently rotating shaft I25 of the latter being to this end equipped with a supplemental cam drum I26; which, as shown in Figs. I and 11, carries on its circumferential face,

spaced rises I2II28 and I29--I30 occupying different planes. The outermost set of cam rises I2II28 are effective upon a lever I3I which is rockable about a fixed stud I32 at the side of the machine frame in opposition to the pull of a tension spring I33. The movement of the lever I3I is communicated by means of a link I35 to a finger I36-pivoted at I31 to the bracket 94 and formed with a lateral projection l36a to underreach both the pawls IOI, I09. Thus when-the lever I3I is engaged by the cam rises I2II28 of the supplemental drum I26, the pawls IOI- I09 are concurrently lifted away from the ratchet wheels I00-I08 to suspend operation of the pattern mechanism 90. As a means to control the pawl IOI independently of the supplemental drum I26, we may provide the measuring chain I38 embodied in the timing mechanism of the machine with special high links such as shown at I39 to actuate the'lever II5 for impartation of the necessary movement to the pawl-lifting slide 1.

During certain phases of the knitting, e. g'., incidentally to fashioning of heel and toe pockets of a stocking when reverse plating is not desired or required, provisions are made as follows for moving to an inactive position, the segmental cams 48, 49 which affect the pull instrumentalities 43: Pivoted at I40 (Figs. I, III and IV) to the top of the head 25 is an arm I with an eccentric groove I42 in the lower face of its boss to engage the upstanding lug 63 of. the segmental cam 49. Connected tothe end of the arm MI is an arcuate rod I43 capable of sliding movement in an aperture through a swivel stud I45 on the bracket 68. An arm I46 secured to I a vertical axis I41 down through a boss I48 of the bracket 68 is coupled by means of a link I50 with the arcuate rod I43. A second arm I5I on the vertical axis I4'I swingable beneath the bracket 68 is in turn coupled by a link rod I52 with a swivel stud I53 on one arm of a bell crank lever I55 (Figs. I and II) having fulcrum support at the side of the machine frame. Still another link rod I56 joins the other arm of the bell crank I55 with a rock lever I5I which is fulcrumed on the stud I32 inward of the rock lever I3I previously referred to. The free end of. the rock lever I51 (Fig. 11) lies within the path of the cam rises I29, I30 on the supplemental drum I26.

Assuming the reverse plating mechanism to be in action, the needle cylinder 28 rotating in the direction of the arrows in Figs. V and VI, and that two contrasting yarns Y, Y are being concurrently fed at the proper relative tensions, from two feeds F, F to the needles N in plating relation as' shown in Fig. xx, the operation of our invention is as follows: As previously stated, upon approach of the needles toward the yarn feeding vand stitch forming regions, they are all flexed 4 the aligned plunger rod "a: axially shifted inward, and movement imparted,- as a consequence, to the associated thrust cam plate "a." to a like I degree in opposition to its spring ",tothe end that all the pattern jacks BI with butts "din the plane of the cam plate llzareengaged, onesuch Jack being indicated at a: in Fig. VII; Since the cam plate": lies in the line A 4' slightly in advance of the stitch point (Fig. Xx), the

pattern lack "a: is alone projected inward through engagement by the rounded protuberance 81a of said cam plate. It therefore follows that the push instrumentality "1': subject to actuation by the Jack "a: is in turn pushed inward, thereby displacing the corresponding needle Na: (previously moved out by the pull instrumentalities 43 with the others) inwards without effecting the immediately adJacent needles. 'li'he action just described takes place when the butt of ,the'push instrumentality "a: has Justpassed beyond the end of the segmental cam 49,- and is madepossible through capacity of the supplemental cam segments 64, 55 (associated with the segmental cam 49) to yield successively under tension of. the springs 58, 02. In other words, the butt of the selected push instrumentality liar-immediately as it passes beyond the province of the segmental cam 4l-is thrust inward, overcoming the spring 62 as in Fig. V and pressing the cam segment Bl (the upper cam segment 54 being notched as at b for clearance of the butt of the push instrumentality 42:: at this time) while'the next succeeding push'instrumentality is still riding on the segmental cam 40.- Attentlon'is also directed to the fact that currently with the above events, the butt of the push instrumentality 42 immediately preceding the one marked 42:: is being held out by the uppermost cam segment 54. As the movement of the needle cylinder 2| continues, the butt of the selected push instrumentality a: rides oi! the cam segment 55 whereupon the latter immediately slips back to its original place against the upstanding lug I of the segmental cam ll to intercept the immediately following push instrumentality 43 as shown in Fig. VI. At the same time, the selected push instrumentality 42:: overcomes the tension of the spring 58 influencing the cam segment 54, this occurring just as the needle N1: is about to draw the fabric loop at the stitch point and resulting in reversal of the yarns Y, Y from the normal relation in the needle hook. With accomplishment of the yarn reversal in the hook of the needle N3, the selected push instrumentality 42:: passes beyond the cam segment 54 whereupon the latter is at once returned by'its spring Bl to its normal position against the upstanding stop lug CI of the segmental cam 49 to check possible inward movement of the push instrumentality I! succeeding the selected one. Thus, in accordance with our invention, each needle upon which reverse plating is to be effected is thrust out of the plane generally followed by the other needles at that time, with consequent reversal of the yarns in its hook just before thef loop precise operation of the parts cludes the possibility of overla of the reverse plated areas or'regions intothe held of normal plating in the body of the fabric with assurance of sharply defined flgura in the pattern. The pattern knitted is predeterminable through arrangementof the jacks II in the head II, as well as by arrangement and diversification of the links as between the several sprocket chains ll of the mechanism ll-whichcontrols selection of the needles. The master sprocket chain i. also plays an important part in the determinationof the pattern through controlling the picking of isdrawn. The

the shaft I! carrying the sprocket drum II for the pattern chains I'I-thereby causing repeat reversals-on the same needles as required for example to produce the larger squares inflthe design shown in Fig. XXI. Incidentally to the knitting cycle oi. the the measuring mechanism governs, through the interposed ele- I ments already described, activity of the pattern -mechanism OI and the segmental cams ll, 40 for Although we have shown and described our invention as particularly useful in connection with hosiery knitters, it is of course to be understood that its scope is not so limited since its adaptation to other types of knitting machines is clearly within the province of a skilled mechanic. Having thusdescribed our invention, we claim:

1. Reverse plating mechanism for knitting machines comprising push and pull instrumentalities for individual association with the knitting needles, and means to actuate the push and pull instrumentalities in effecting lateral displacement of corresponding needles relative to others with attendant reversal in their Just previous to loop drawing, of two yarns normally fed simule taneously in definite plating relation as described pre- 7 chines comprising push and pull instrumentalitiem 55 for individual association with the knitting needles, means operative upon the pull instrumentalities to displace all the needles laterally outward from their normal positions as they approach theyarnfeeding station, and means selectively operative upon'thepush instrumentalities to depress corresponding needles inward relative to others with attendant reversal in their hooks, just previous to loop-drawing, of two yarns normally fed simultaneously in definite plating relation.

4. Reverse plating mechanism for knitting machines comprising push and pull instrumentalities for individual association with the knitting needles, a cam operative upon the pull instrumentalities to displace all the needles laterally outward from their normal positions as they approach the yarn feeding station, and selective means operative upon thepush instrumentalities to depress co needles inward relative to others with attendant reversal in their hooks, just previous to loop formation, of two yarns normally fed simultaneously in definite plating relation, the cam aforesaid having sections capable of yielding to permit the described action.

5. Reverse plating mechanism for circular knitting machines comprising needle displacing instrumentalities, individually associated with the sinkers in the slots of the sinker dial around the needle cylinder, an annular head surrounding the sinker dial with radial slots accommodating interchangeable pattern jacks in line with the needle displacing instrumentalities said jacks having actuating butts in different planes, a set of thrust cams lying in the planes of the pattern jack butts, and pattern mechanism to select between the thrust cams in causing, through coordinated pattern jacks and therespective displacing instrumentalities subject to them, lateral deflection of corresponding needles relative to others in the series with attendant reversal in their hooks, just previous to loop drawing, of two yarns normally fed simultaneously in definite plating relation.

6. Reverse plating mechanism for knitting machines comprising push and pull instrumentalities individually associated with knitting needles, and I 7. Reverse plating mechanism for knitting machines comprising push and pull instrumentalities placed side by side in the guide grooves with the sinkers and individually associated with knitting needles, and means for actuating the push and pull instrumentalities to efifect lateral displacement of their associated needles relative to others with attendant reversal in needle hooks, just previous to loop drawing, of two yarns normally fed simultaneously in definite plating relationship.

8. Reverse plating mechanism for circular knitting machines comprising a needle cylinder and independent needles slidable therein, means for sliding the needles for the formation of stitches, means for displacing the hook ends of all of the needles radially from normal position prior to the stitch forming point, and means for selectively effecting the return of certain needles to normal position thereafter but prior to the stitch forming point.

9. Reverse plating mechanism for circular knitting machines comprising a needle cylinder and independent needles slidable therein, means for sliding the needles for the formation of stitches, means for displacing the hook ends of all of the needles radially outward from normal 

